Table reed-organ



2 Sheets-Shet 1.

(No Model.)

L. MASON. Table Reed Organ. No. 239,521. Patented March 29,1881.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. MASON. Table Reed Organ. No. 239,521. Patented March 29, I881.

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402% M a /yww N. PETERS. PHDTO-UTNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

-UNITED STATES PATENT -OEEICE.

LOWELL MASON, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE MASON 86 HAMLIN ORGAN COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TABLE REED-ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,521, dated March 29, 1881.

Application filed December 11, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LowELL MASON, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Miniature or Table Reed-Organs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to arrange in a small compass a key-board and the othcrele- IO ments necessary to obtain from a series of organ-reeds, when the keys to such reeds are played upon, the sounding of the notes represented by such reeds, and thereby to produce a reed-organ in miniature, and one capable not only of practical use, but also of being conveniently handled and used upon a table or stand, orin the lap of the performer, or otherwise, in an easy and free manner and without injury or deterioration, and one which, while it would be of but moderate cost, would yet afford entertainment and instruction, and serve to inculcate and stimulate an interest in music, and thereby lead and direct persons who otherwise would not be so led and directed to acquire instruction and skill in. the playing of reed-organs of a larger caliber and scope.

The improvements will be fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying plates of drawings the 0 present improved miniature reed-organ is illustrated.

Figure l is an exterior perspective view; Fig. 2, a plan View with the top removed; Fig. 3, a vertical section on line 00 00, Fig. 2 5 Figs.

4 and 5, end elevations along the line 9 3 Fig. 2, showing the parts in different positions, the bellows opened and closed respectively.

In the drawings, Arepresents an outer casing or box, of suitable shape and size to con- 0 tain the working parts hereinafter described,

and inclosed on all sides except at the front, and there it is open so as to expose the range of keys B constituting the key-board of the instrument. These keys B are arranged in the usual order of naturals and sharps, and their compass in the present instance is an octave and a half. Each key, at its inner end, is hung by a parchment or flexible joint, a, to a block, b, and these several blocks are secured to a rail, 0, making, with two end pieces, (1 d, and

a rail,f, at the front end of the keys, the whole key-board or frame. Under each keyis a valvestem, g, and each val ve-stem rests upon a valve,

D. Each valve is hinged at one end, and is arranged, as ordinarily, when not depressed by 5 5 the valve-stem, to close a passage, h, leading to an organ-reed, E, which is located above the valve and between it and the key. Each reed is in a chamber, F, by itself; but the several chambers open at one end into a common 6c,- chamber, G, which is at the rear of the keys, and which is closed by a board or lid, H, hinged at and along its front edge, which board, as will hereinafter appear, is the swellboard (so called) of theinstrument. The several passages h, leading to the organ-reeds E at their lower ends, open into a wind-chest, J, which wind-chest is under the whole key-board and projects to the rear side thereof, and by its upper board, K, it carries and supports the 0 several parts above described, as also the exhauster L of the instrument, to be hereinafter in detail explained.

Below the wind-chest is the bellows M, of which Zis the bottom board, having a spring, m, at each end, which springs are arranged to open out the bellows.

The exhauster L is located at the rear and along the length of the key-board. The keyboard is secured to the upper side of the windchest J. This exhauster L communicates with the wind-chest through openings at, each of which has a flap-valve, 0, which opens to the inside ofthe exhauster, and the top board,N,ofthe exhauster, at each end, is hinged midway of its width, as at p, to suitable rail-supports, g, which incline downwardly from each side of such hinge. The top board, N, is thus adapted to be tilted or rocked on its hinge, and for so tilting or rocking it it is provided with a handle, 0 O, which projects through the top board of the organ-case, back of the key-bank, and is there suitably located to be conveniently and readily operated with one hand of the player, even while the other hand is employed in fingering the keys B. The arrangement of the handle also subserves the purpose of steadying the instrument while it operates the exhauster.

1 represents openings in the top board of the exhauster L, and making acommunication 10o therewith. These openings 1' have flap-valves, each arranged to open to the outside for the escape of the air from the exhauster. The forward and backward rock of the exhausterboard N obviously exhausts the air from the wind-chest, and thus any and all reeds having their valves opened are sounded, as well known in reed-organs. The swell-board at one end is connected, through a rod, 8, directly to the bellows-board Z, and such connection is by pivot t, and the whole is such that the swell-board will open and close according to the movement of the bellows from the greater orlosser exhaustion of the air by the exhauster.

As to each of the several parts which have beenhereindescribed,theprincipleandpurpose of operation are substantially the same as they are in the corresponding parts of ordinary reed-organs, and therefore there is no occasion to herein set them forth in particular and in detail 5 but as they are arranged in accordance with this invention, it is plain to be seen, first, that the exhauster is operated positively through a handle, 0, which is back of and upon the upper side of the organ-case, and at each forward and backward stroke of such handle; second, that the handle for operating the exhauster is in a most convenient position to be grasped by one hand of the player while the other hand is employed in playing upon the keys; third, that in such operation of the exhauster the force exerted through its handle to produce the same tends to keep and maintain the instrument firmly in its position of rest; fourth, that all the parts constituting the instrument, arranged as described, are in a most compact shape, producing a reed-organ in miniature of unmistakable utility and desirability, in the direction of the objects of this invention.

The parchment or flexible joint to of each key, as herein described, constitutes and makes a hinge for the keys to turn upon as they are played, and it also acts as a guide and director to the movement or play of the key.

Aminiature or table reed-organ is not broadly new, and such, therefore, is notclaimed herein; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination of the outer casing, A, closed on all sides except at the front, where the range of keys is exposed, and the exhauster L, arranged horizontally at the rear of and along the length of the key-board,and provided with a rocking top board, N, with a handle, 0, connected with the rocking top board and extending vertically through the top portion of the outer casing, and serving to operate the bellows and to steady the instrument, all substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a miniature or table reed-organ composed of a series of organ-keys,13, each having a flexiblojoint, a, valves D, and reeds E,in combination with a wind-chest located below and to the rear of the keys, and carrying on its under side a bellows, M, and on its upper side an exhauster, L, havin g a handle, 0, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whercot'l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOW ELL MASON.

Witnesses:

W. FREEMAN, JNo. L. BLAKE. 

